British PM Sunak faces parliamentary showdown over Rwanda legislation

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivers a ministerial statement titled ‘Defending the UK and our allies in a more dangerous world’ in the House of Commons, in London January 15, 2024. ― UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/Handout via Reuters

LONDON, Jan 16 ― British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces a parliamentary showdown with right-wing lawmakers in his party this week as his legislation to block legal challenges to the plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda returns to parliament.

The British government is trying to reduce a surge in asylum seekers who make the dangerous crossing in small boats from France to the southern coast of England.

Most of those arriving in the boats say they are fleeing wars and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. But the British government says about 90 per cent making the journey are men and many of them economic migrants rather than genuine refugees.

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Sunak faced the most serious threat to his leadership last month when he saw off a threatened revolt by dozens of his lawmakers during the first parliamentary vote on the draft legislation.

The government comfortably won that vote after some lawmakers decided to abstain rather than rebel, but the rebels warned that they could vote down the legislation at later stages of the parliamentary process unless the bill was changed.

Parliament will vote on a series of proposed amendments today and Wednesday aimed at closing off potential loopholes that could block asylum seekers being removed to Rwanda.

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More than 50 lawmakers have backed an amendment that would allow ministers to ignore last-minute rulings from judges at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg seeking to ground flights to Rwanda.

A similar number also support another amendment that would stop asylum seekers from bringing individual claims to prevent their removal to the East African nation.

Unless the legislation is changed, right-wing Conservatives are threatening to vote against the government at its final parliamentary stage in the House of Commons, which could take place on Wednesday evening.

Two Conservative Party deputy chairmen said on Monday evening that they would back rebel amendments in a test of Sunak's authority.

Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith said they would vote to toughen the legislation in a sign of the deep divisions in the Conservative Party on the issue.

Asked if this means he would be sacked, Brendan Clarke-Smith said: “It is not for me to decide.”

Sunak has staked his premiership on his pledge to “stop the boats” and has vowed to push through the plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda before an election expected this year.

In return for accepting any asylum seekers, Rwanda has already been paid 240 million pounds ($305 million) by the British government. But so far, no one from Britain has been sent to Rwanda because of legal challenges.

In November, the UK Supreme Court ruled Sunak's policy of deporting migrants to Rwanda would breach British and international human rights laws and agreements.

In response, Sunak agreed a new treaty with Rwanda and brought forward the new legislation designed to override any legal obstacles that would stop deportations.

Sunak is reluctant to accept the right-wing amendments because of concerns about a counter-rebellion by centrist members of parliament and threats by Rwanda to quit the plan if it does not comply with international law. ― Reuters